MOSCOW. March 11 (Interfax) - The prospect of the ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) largely depends on Washington, Mikhail Ulyanov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's department on non-proliferation and arms control issues, said.
"The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was signed back in 1996. We were among the first signatories and we ratified the treaty back in 2000. The Americans and seven other countries have still not done that, and the treaty cannot take effect if not ratified by these eight countries. Objectively it all depends on the U.S., on Washington," Ulyanov told a press conference on Wednesday.
"We always tell our U.S. partners that it's somewhat unnatural that the United States, on one hand, initiate a summit on nuclear security and, on the other hand, avoid ratification of an important amendment [to the CTBT]," Ulyanov said.
"The prospects of enactment of the CTBT largely depend on Washington. The current administration is saying they are all for it and they are promising to take the needed steps, but we have heard those promises for many years and we don't see any real progress," the diplomat said.